PGA Tour, FedEx ink 10-year extension of FedEx Cup concept

There will be at least two decades of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup concept, with the Tour and FedEx jointly announcing on Tuesday a 10-year extension of FedEx’s sponsorship of the season-long points race.

“The FedEx relationship has been invaluable to the PGA Tour on multiple fronts for more than 30 years, beginning with its sponsorship of the FedEx St. Jude Classic,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a release. “The FedEx Cup revolutionized the fan viewing experience and competitive landscape of the PGA Tour, establishing a cohesive narrative throughout the schedule and a compelling conclusion to the season with the FedExCup Playoffs.”

The deal, which began in 2007, will extend the FedEx Cup through 2027, with Monahan saying on Tuesday that there would be eventual increases in the current $35 million bonus pool for the top 150 players in the FedEx Cup standings. There has also been talk of reforming the PGA Tour schedule, reducing the number of playoff events from four to three so that the season could end on Labor Day weekend.

“There’s still some other moving parts that we need to get to before we’ll be able to announce any additional changes, but as we go forward, we expect the cup and the payout to increase significantly,” Monahan said.

Rory McIlroy is the current FedEx Cup champion, beating Ryan Moore in a playoff for the Tour Championship in Atlanta in September 2016 to secure the tournament, the season-long points race and the $10 million first-place payout.